Effective communication is more than choosing the right words. Whatever is being said can be lost in translation, so to speak, if the person you're speaking to senses what you are saying isn't matched by your tone of voice and other nonverbal cues like facial expressions. This is especially true for preschoolers because of their sensitivity to nonverbal communication.

Warmth and Affection

Using a warm and affectionate tone of voice helps reassure and comfort preschoolers. This is especially useful when engaging a child who is withdrawn or shy. A warm tone's message can be reinforced by using words of endearment or special nicknames. Children are different from one another, so observe what works best for each child. It is important, however, not to be overly warm and affectionate when giving guidance or discipline since that may inadvertently encourage poor behavior, according to the Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning.

Foster and Refocus With Calmness

Just as a warm and affectionate tone reassures and comforts, a calm tone creates a nonjudgmental environment where appropriate behavior can be effectively promoted. This is also an effective tone to use when a child's attention wanders. Calmly and gently call children by name and guide their attention back to where it should be placed. This avoids negative feelings on the part of the child and can help promote self-regulating behavior, according to the author Mi-Hwa Park in her 2013 article "Nonverbal Communication: A Quiet Path to Children’s Engagement," published in the journal "Texas Child Care Quarterly."

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Use Actions That Support Tone

The tone of voice and words spoken are just part of what's being communicated. Give equal attention to actions like body movements and facial expressions, and make sure they support the message you wish to convey. Children are very sensitive to the alignment of a message's verbal and nonverbal components. In instances where these components do not match up, children often view the nonverbal message as more authentic, according to Park.

Benefits of Role-playing

Using the appropriate tone of voice is also something to be role-played with children because it increases their ability for effective self-expression. This can be done through a game of identifying what tone of voice should be used for a given emotion. Demonstrate how using different pitches, intensity and loudness can change the overall message of a simple statement, such as, "It's time to stop." Then ask children to say something else in different ways to convey specific emotions.

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About the Author

Based in Southern California, A.T. Gardner has spent more than two decades writing articles, educational materials, video scripts and other content for corporations and organizations including The Walt Disney Company, TRW, Nissan and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). He has a bachelor's degree in communications.